MG is back in the sports car business this year thanks to the launch of the Cyberster electric roadster. But the fact that it’s electric and made in China, rather than in the classic Abingdon factory that closed in 1980, means some fans will still be wishing they could somehow go back in time and buy a brand new ‘real’ MG. Well, this is their chance.

Okay, so this 1949 MG TC isn’t completely unused. But it’s the next best ting, having covered an incredible 833 miles (1,341 km) from new. That works out at 11 miles (18 km) for each of the 74 years it’s been around. Sure, you could buy a restored car, and it will look even more perfect, but as the saying goes, they’re only original once.

According to the seller’s notes on the Car & Classic advert, the TC was built in 1949 at a time when MG’s sales were booming in America thanks to huge interest from soldiers returning from Europe. But this TC didn’t head west from the UK factory, but south, to South Africa, where it was bought by a car collector who apparently used it sparingly for a few MG Car Club events.

Related: MG Cyberster Is A Cruiser, Not A Carver, Says First Reviewer

This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New

It was soon sold to another collector, whose other cars included Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, a Porsche and a later MGA, then in 1998 made its way to New Zealand where it has lived ever since. The seller got hold of the MG around seven years ago but found that it was too nice to put miles on and so uses his MGB for days out. He’s recently had the wheels repainted and wisely replaced the tires, whose sidewalls were perished after holding the car up for so long. Yeah, not sure I’d trust 74-year old tires, either, even with only 1,250 cc and 54.5 hp (55.3 PS) under the hood.

You know you’re talking about a slow car when the power figure is quoted to one decimal place – zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) took almost 23 seconds, though that was actually fairly brisk for a British car of the time. The new Cyberster, for context, can shave 20 seconds off that time in its top-spec 536 hp (400 kW / 544 PS) bi-motor guise.

And in China, at least, the bi-motor Cyberster costs less than half as much as the old timer, which is up for £75,000 ($91,500). But I bet the TC is a more interesting drive if you’re just looking for some Sunday fun rather than a daily hack, and it’s certainly a better investment. It also won’t kidnap you and force you to crash into a police van to stop it, like this MG ZS EV.

This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New
This 1949 MG Has Covered Just 833 Miles Since New